CRD & Gapeworm

[katharbour]

We have a community farm with about 50 hens with a couple of roosters. We are challenged with CDR (CRD)? and Gapeworm without really knowing the differences. Are there symptoms that will tell us the difference and how to treat them. We use preventative (apple cider vinegar, garlic, cayenne) in their water. DE in their feed monthly. Any other ideas to help us become better care takers of our chickens? Thank you for any help )

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Have you had a fecal float for confirmation of Gapeworm? That would be the easiest way to know if parasites or respiratory illness is your problem.

I'm very sorry, but acv, garlic, cayenne and DE are not effective against a parasite infestation. After you have had confirmation of worms through a fecal float, your vet can advise you on the best course of treatment or you can use an anthelmintic like Praziquantel.

CRD generally refers to the respiratory disease Mycoplasma - common symptoms are coughing, sneezing, wheezing, runny eyes with pus, mucous from the nostrils, etc. There are several respiratory diseases with similar symptoms - Infectious Bronchitis, Infectious Coryza and ILT. Having some testing performed will be helpful in identifying which illness you are dealing with. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044 Respiratory diseases are contagious, so any chickens that are exposed, regardless if they show symptoms are considered carriers. Antibiotics will help treat secondary infections due to illness.

 

[Ravynscroft]

X2 what Wyorp Rock said...

I have gapeworm here, biggest difference between it and any CRD types is there isn't any runny nares, watery eyes, etc...

Valbazen (albendazole 11.6%) on a 3 consecutive day regimen works for gapeworm...

Denagard works for most CRD...

Fecal float would tell you if you have worms and what kind...

 

[Eggcessive]

What signs are you seeing in the sick birds? If there is a chronic respiratory disease in your flock, it will remain there for the life of your flock. Any chickens exposed will be carriers for life, and MG affects other species such as ducks, quail, turkeys, etc. Once these chickens are all gone from your environment, the disease will die out after several days, since it lasts only 3 days outside the chicken or other host. That said, if wild birds are feeding out of your feeders and waterers, they can keep spreading it. If you have a very sick chicken, you may want to put it down, and get a necropsy done by the state poultry lab to find out what disease they are getting.

Gapeworm is fairly rare. A fecal test done by your local vet on some fresh droppings, can help identify any worms or larvae. It can be treated with fendbendazole (Safeguard Liquid Goat wormer) given for 3-5 days to each chicken, at a dose of 1/4 ml per pound.
Other good wormers are Valbazen 1/2 ml once to each chicken, and then repeat in 10 days. Wormout Gel can be used in the water for 2 whole days to treat the flock, as the only water source.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Gapeworm is fairly rare. A fecal test done by your local vet on some fresh droppings, can help identify any worms or larvae. It can be treated with fendbendazole (Safeguard Liquid Goat wormer) given for 3-5 days to each chicken, at a dose of 1/4 ml per pound.
Other good wormers are Valbazen 1/2 ml once to each chicken, and then repeat in 10 days. Wormout Gel can be used in the water for 2 whole days to treat the flock, as the only water source.

Actually, Valbazen given once then 10 days later *will not* clear out gapes... it takes a 3 consecutive day course... and 5 consecutive days with Safeguard... tested this with my own flock...

Gapeworm is not that rare, it's just not as common for chickens as it is ducks... earthworms, slugs and snails being the intermediate host makes ducks *much* more susceptible...

Susceptibility of chickens depends on how much they forage for earthworms, most avoid slugs and snails though, so less chances of getting them from those at least...

 

[casportpony]

Gapeworm is not that rare, it's just not as common for chickens as it is ducks... earthworms, slugs and snails being the intermediate host makes ducks *much* more susceptible...

Also common in gamebirds, especially pheasants I think.

 

[007Sean]

Also common in gamebirds, especially pheasants I think.

You are correct. Pheasants are more prone to having "gapes".

 

[casportpony]

We have a community farm with about 50 hens with a couple of roosters. We are challenged with CDR (CRD)? and Gapeworm without really knowing the differences. Are there symptoms that will tell us the difference and how to treat them. We use preventative (apple cider vinegar, garlic, cayenne) in their water. DE in their feed monthly. Any other ideas to help us become better care takers of our chickens? Thank you for any help )

Have you had any confirmed cases of gapeworms? If not, I think you might be dealing with respiratory infections. I strongly suggest that you start getting routine fecals done and treat accordingly. If you are losing birds, it would be best to have a necropsy done and find out exactly what you're up against.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I think it has more to do with what type of forager the birds are... like most layer type chickens are surface bug foragers, while games and ducks actively dig more for the deeper bugs/earthworms, etc...

I noticed that most of my layers didn't get overloaded as much, while the OEGB's and games would get overloaded faster... the ducks are by far the most affected in my flock though... but they'll also invade the layer pens when it rains since those birds aren't as interested in earthworms...

 

[007Sean]

I've noticed in my pheasants that other respiratory symptoms mimic gapes. That's one reason to have tests preformed.